Release Me
by SweetAsSugarBeeouch
Summary: The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. You are with me aren't you?
1. Chapter 1

"The lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..."

It was a normal day for Beth Greene, a normal Monday morning as she got up to shower, then get ready for school making sure she wasn't eating up too much time so that she would have time for breakfast before running to the bus stop. This was her normal routine. Daddy would stop by her room and tell her to have a good day and telling her that he had the trout out to thaw so she could cook it for dinner when she got home, before leaving for the church with Old Man Allen. Next, Maggie would stop by to tell her she had put some toast with jam on the table for her, and kiss her forehead wishing her a good day before going to the animal shelter with her car pool of friends who also worked there. That was a normal day. Today wasn't a normal day. Somewhere between stopping by the church on the way home from school and the grocery store... something changed.

"The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..."

Normally the prayer that Beth Green said every night before she slept and every morning she woke was clear as the bright blue sky, however right now all she could get was the first line to come out of her mouth but even that was a challenge as her mouth was dry. Like she had cotton mouth or something... She licked her lips, but her tongue was even dry. She must be dreaming, she told herself and willed her hand to reach out for her bed side table that always had a tall glass of water on it. But again her hand didn't move. Why was her head throbbing so painfully? She wondered when she felt her body become as light as air, as if someone was carrying her or as if she was defying gravity and had become weightless. All she wanted to do was open her eyes but that too seemed a difficult task to complete. What was going on? She wondered.

"The lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..."

She repeated demanding her body to wake up, for her mind to listen to her, but no matter what she did, her body wasn't listening to her, and her mind wasn't computing almost as if her mind had detached itself from her nervous system. Normal body functions that she was use to doing, weren't happening... Was... was she paralyzed? She thought for a moment when she felt her toes move. Why? She thought. What had she been doing? Was this a dream? Why couldn't she see? Why couldn't she move? Why was her body not working? Had she been in a car accident? No... Daddy gave away the truck, and... and she rode the bus to school... Why couldn't she move? Beth was starting to really panic as she felt her body being laid down on something rough. Something that smelt like... dry dirt, and sweet grass... Was she outside? When had she gotten outside?

"The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..."

Suddenly she was cold. Cold and limp. Like a doll.

"The lord is my shepherd, the lord is my shepherd..."

She mumbled frantically when a large rough hand cupped her naked breast, scaring her. It was a dream. A horrible dream, but a dream. She told herself whimpering softly as she tried to remember the words to her prayer only to heard a deep hum that was unmistakably laughter. Then Alcohol... the sweet liquor scent burned the inside of her nose as she breathed in, making her gag. Was... Was this her father? No... No it couldn't be... Daddy had given up on drinking a long time ago... Long time ago... She told herself as her head lifted up with guidance, while a cloth, a rough cloth-like item, wrapped around her throat and tightened drawing her senses back to reality and her eyes to snap open and see the form of a man in front of her. Looking down at her. Why... Why was he looking at her? Who was he? She couldn't breathe.

Her hands failed at getting his to let go of the item choking her, as well as to get any small amount of air in her lungs as she fought him with strung urgency. "Come on doll... The lord is my shepherd..." He taunted her as he released the cloth that he was using to choke her with, but when all she did was dry heave and cough, he frowned. "Have you forgotten the prayer? That shitty prayer that means nothing? You were saying it all the way here..." He added dropping down so she could see him a little better. "Man these drugs are working well..." He whispered as he inhaled deeply.

"God girls like you always smell good... like honey in summer..." He whispered running the tip of his nose along her shoulder then down her chest to her exposed breasts, his tongue whipping out to lash out at her budding nipple, harden from the harsh coldness of the winter air that chilled all of Georgia. "Should I help you darlin'? Hmm... well... I have you in a green pasture..." He whispered to her as he squeezed her breasts and then sucked hard on the tips of her nipples.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures..." She sobbed and began to hyperventilate. "Help... help..." She whispered unable to yell do to the dryness of her throat.

"Mm... That's a girl..." He chuckled undoing his belt. "Mmm this sweet pale skin of yours has me rock hard baby..." He told her taking her hand to his jeans to feel his swollen hard cock, and she quickly retracted her arm, feeling her senses starting to surface. "Oh.. the fun is about to start..." He commented, before looking down at her... "I like when they fight me." He hissed.

"He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul-" she began reciting a little louder when he slapped her hard across the face and got off of her.

"He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." She said shakily and he glared at her as he parted her legs, that was when she started fighting him, and scream as best as she could for help, from anyone. But it was then he too fought her fighting by smacking her around, and twisting her onto her stomach. He really did enjoy the fight, she discovered. She wailed in pain as he roughly entered her. She couldn't fight him anymore. Her eyes grew heavy. Her arms went limp. Her legs collapsed. He was raping her and she couldn't stop it.

_Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Amen. _

"We called the school Mr. Greene and the said she attended school, and we contacted the church and they said she stopped by... But we need more information. "Did Beth have a boyfriend?"

"No."

"Did she keep secrets?"

"No."

"Did she-"

"No, no no!" Hershel snapped, drawing in a shuddered breath. "Beth is a good girl. A girl of god, and a great daughter. She wasn't super interested in boys, she wanted to join the peace corps." He told them as Maggie came up to behind him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as she too cried, but now into his shoulder. He looked away from the two officers in front of him and then buried his face into his daughters hair as he began to weep.

Shane tossed a look over to Rick as they turned away from the upset family, and head outside to check with the returning search party that had been sent out early that morning, but by the looks of the empty arms, and down cast faces they knew it was the same result. She hadn't been found. "You know... this case is just like the others-" Shane began only to be stopped before he finished that statement.

"No. This isn't like the other cases. Those girls were raped, gutted like an animal, and then left in open sight." Rick scowled Shane who rose his hands up to defend himself.

"In the next six hours if a dead gutted girl shows up, you owe me a big dinner." He warned him as the went to talk to the captain of the search teams.

Beth Green had been missing for nearly 24 hours, and without a trace. Almost as if she had just disappeared and it was mind boggling. The police and sheriffs were doing everything to find her, as well as setting an Amber Alert out for the seventeen year old girl, and allowing the high school students to help in the search during certain hours. The whole town was on edge, and the church was mourning her loss praying for help, and her safe return. Little did everyone know though, that they weren't going to find her on the side of a road, or gutted like the others. In fact, they would probably never see her again.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick looked at Shane from across the office as he finished up his call with the FBI asking what they could do to preparing for their arrival, and taking notes as the woman told him what to so so the team could hit the ground running. There was still no sign on the young Beth Greene, but a body had surfaced, and the dental work proved to be that of Anna Gray-joy from Alabama, hence the FBI as this case had become federal with the crossing state lines. That meant not only was Beth missing, but Amy Finch was still missing, and had only went missing a few days before Beth. When Shane got off the phone, Rick tried to lighten the mood with a joke to Shane's silly bet. "How about that dinner I owe you..."

Shane glared over at him, and shook his head. "I'm not really hungry at the moment maybe later." He whispered putting his hat on and walked to their small conference room to clean up the room. He had promised himself he wasn't going to let a girl show up gutted, yet here was one and Amy was bound to be next... then Beth... He thought shaking his head. That was a terrible weight to hold over your head. He never thought that this would happen in his small county, but it was.

"Please... Please let me go... let me go and I won't tell anyone a thing. Nothing. I promise..." whimpered a voice from a room away, waking Beth and causing her to wonder who was crying for help. She looked up to see a tarp doorway from her mattress on the floor, the voice continued to beg as the sound of metal being sharpen shrilled through the empty home. She stumbled to her feet, and realized she was naked, and sore. God was she sore. Where was she? She thought stumbling in the dark to the well light room.

"Please I swear... Please let me go... I wanna see my mama... my daddy... please..." The voice continued and then Beth heard the voice, the one that belonged to the fuzzy looking man last night. The one who...She covered her mouth to stifle the sob that ripped forth and lowered her head.

"Last chance to answer the riddle..." The metal scrapping stopped and Beth slouched against the wall listening although the girl continued to plead and tell him she wouldn't talk. "You can see me in the sky, soaring low, and soaring high... You can see me on the ground, steady now, and keeping an eye... A beautiful songster for a goddess or queen... neither long, round, or in between... Of solid black with touch of bright... to bring your eye to the light... a tune that are know be many wives... a song to bring back many lives.." he whispered.

"I don't know... I don't know..." The girl whimpered. "Please... Please no! Please- Ack!" Silence followed by screams, sent Beth's hands to her ears, and to the floor in a crouch. She couldn't listen. She just couldn't... so she thought about the riddle that he had told her, and wondered if he would ask her the same thing. She... she didn't know the answer either... At first it sounded like the answer was... was a bird... but she didn't know what kind... who he ask? If it was black but bright... were... were blackbirds bright? No... They are black... black isn't bright! She wondered as a loud scream ran through her ears.

She quickly covered her ears and tried to think, but when the screams were gone, and the sound of sawing... like... when you cut meat replaced them, she fled. She shoot up from her place on the wall and headed to the door that was on the other side of the room, but to her horror... it was a fake door... a... a sticker! She peeled it off in disbelief and then whirled around looking for another way out, but there was no windows, or other doors aside from the one that had a tarp. Was answering his stupid riddle her only way out?

If she answered it right, would he let her free? She thought sinking to the ground slowly as she began to cry. This man had raped her, and god only knew what he would do to her now that he had her locked in a room... She thought hiccuping. She had to get out of here, but how? She thought biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw some blood. Screw the riddle, she was going to get out... She told herself and quietly began crawling to the other side of the room.

"You can see me in the sky, soaring low, and soaring high. You can see me on the ground, steady now, and keeping an eye. A beautiful songster for a goddess or queen, neither long, round, or in between. Of solid black with touch of bright, to bring your eye to the light. A tune that are know be many wives. A song to bring back many lives." He sang as he continued what he was doing in the other room, before whistling an tune she knew. Drunken Sailor...

It was something Maggie had taught her, when she was younger to make her feel better when their dad had been out drinking and came home loud and obnoxious. The thought made her want to be home that much more, but how was she going to get out of this room, if the only exit was the way where he was... She wondered looking at the tarp. Wait...

British... Scottish...Irish... the song...She thought perking up. If the song was that... then... was it safe to say that her guess was right? A blackbird. The Irish blackbird was black with a bright orange beak! She had learned that from Maggie's friend Dean who loved birds and the stories behind them in history, and... and she could have sworn she heard something about a blackbird and some goddess bring the dead back to life... Dear god... was she right? She thought looking up to the ceiling. Blackbird-

The rustling of the tarp had her pulling her knees to her chest, and pushing her body into the corner as best as she could, however she still looked up when she heard him speak to her. "Well if she isn't up and about..." he said in almost a laugh. "I was beginning to wonder if I gave you too much..." he told her quietly kneeling down next to her.

She could smell the rusty scent, blood, she couldn't see it but she could sure smell it. "Aw... still shy? After the good fuckin we had?" he asked reaching up to touch her blonde hair with his bloody hand. "Tell you what... if you answer this riddle... I'll let you take a shower with me, and maybe...maybe...have some food." He told her softly.

Right on cue, her stomach rumbled.

"I bet your hungry...haven't eaten in what... four days?" he asked her.

"Okay... This riddle... is simple... You can see me in the sky, soaring low, and soaring high. You can see me on the ground, steady now, and keeping an eye. A beautiful songster for a goddess or queen, neither long, round, or in between. Of solid black with touch of bright, to bring your eye to the light. A tune that are know be many wives. A song to bring back many lives. What's my name?" he whispered playing with her hair.

His name? He might have thought he was tricking her like the other girl, but she wasn't like her... She didn't want to come off rude but she was smart. Now the riddle made sense. Irish blackbird... Irish black bird had a second name, and she had learned that in french class. No one had the name "Blackbird" but they did have it's alternate name. For once in her life, she was glad she choose to take a dead language in the states because it was going to keep her alive... She knew it.

_Un oiseau siffle dans les branches, Et sautille gai, plein d'espoir, Sur les herbes, de givre blanches, En bottes jaunes, en frac noir. __C'est un merle, chanteur crédule, Ignorant du calendrier, Qui rêve soleil, et module, L'hymne d'avril en février.__Pourtant il vente, il pleut à verse; L'Arve jaunit le Rhône bleu, Et le salon, tendu de perse, Tient tous ses hôtes près du feu. __Les monts sur l'épaule ont l'hermine, Comme des magistrats siégeant, Leur blanc tribunal examine un cas d'hiver se prolongeant. __Lustrant son aile qu'il essuie, L'oiseau persiste en sa chanson, Malgré neige, brouillard et pluie, Il croit à la jeune saison, Il gronde l'aube paresseus, De rester au lit si longtemps, Et, gourmandant la fleur frileuse, Met en demeure le printemps. __Il voit le jour derrière l'ombre, Tel un croyant, dans le saint lieu, L'autel désert, sous la nef sombre, Avec sa foi voit toujours Dieu, A la nature il se confie, Car son instinct pressent la loi, Qui rit de ta philosophie, Beau merle, est moins sage que toi!_

"Merle." She whispered, and when she heard the sharp in take of breath, she lifted her head a bit, knowing she was right, and that he couldn't deny it, she repeated herself. "Your name... is Merle."

* * *

**PLEASE READ**

_**A/N: Okay I know you are thinking WHAT THE HELL, but I'm going to explain myself really quick.**_

_**I have a DARK side, and I love Merle with Beth. I really do. However the two are totally different, and I like to make up crazy stories to bring people together (For Example: Look at my other story). Yes Merle raped Beth, and has been killing girls all along the East Coast, but that's because I wanted... a forbidden, sick and twisted love. You may think I'm a bad person for writing this because its...rape. But... This is my way of healing from my own trama. I feel so much better having written this, and I will continue writing it to the end. **_

_**Now the riddle. Merle is smart. I felt that he would be witty and like someone who is just as witty (Beth). She's equally smart, and his perfect match. Which is how she guessed his name. You may not know it, but Merle is actual old Irish for Blackbird, and in other languages today, Merle is blackbird, like French. Yes its complex, but believe me. I learned this myself in high school in my third year of french, and I always wanted to use it in a Meth story, and I'm glad I did! **_

_**The Poem: A bird from yonder branch at dawn, Is trilling forth a joyful note, Or hopping o'er the frozen lawn, In yellow boots and ebon coat. It is the blackbird credulous. Little of calendar knows he, Whose soul, with sunbeams luminous, Sings April to the snows that be. Rain sweeps in torrents unrepressed. The Arve makes dull the Rhone with mire. The pleasant hall retains its guest In goodly cheer before the fire. The mountains have their ermine on,**_  
_**Each one a mighty magistrate, And hold grave conference upon, A case of Winter lasting late. The bird dries well his wing, and long, Despite the rains, the mists that roll, Insists upon his little song, Believes in Spring with all his soul.**_  
_**He softly chides the slumberous morn, For dallying so long abed, And bids the shivering flower forlorn, Be bold, and raise aloft its head. Behind the dark sees day that smiles, Even as behind the Holy Rod, When bare the altar, dim the aisles, The child of faith beholds his God. He trusts to Nature's purpose high, Sure of her laws for here and now. Who laughs at thy philosophy, Dear blackbird, is less wise than thou!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Merle was glad for the darkness of the room, because it was hiding his surprise. She had guessed right, and he wanted to know how but he was a man of his word and he told her if she guessed the answer he would bathe her and feed her. The little cunt... how the hell did she guess the answer he thought rubbing his jaw and sighed heavily. "You know... I'm a man of my word little girl. So... Come on." He said grabbing her arms to lift her up.

Beth gasped struggling against his grip, as he pulled her close to his body, she didn't want him to be a man of his word, she wanted him to let her go! That was all! She wanted to return home and hold her father, tell the town and the police just who he was and have him taken to jail- Beth frowned. It was in that moment, she thought of something else. Why? Why did he do this to her... To the other girls? Why did he rape her... and... and kill that girl. She didn't need to see the girl who pleaded with him to know she was dead, but she did as he took her through the room.

The brunet girl hung from the hook that was dangling from the ceiling, with her hands tied above her head attached to said hook, lifeless. Her head was hanging down to her chest, as blood oozed out of the large gash that looked to be from lower belly to breast, there wasn't a piece of skin not covered in her own blood and that made Beth gag.

"Whoa now. Throw up on me and I'll fucking kick the shit out of you little girl." He hissed looking at her, and then over to Amy's dead body and smiled. "She's a beauty isn't she? Dumb as a doorknob, but a gorgeous girl... Look at her tits... nice and perky, not a sign of sagging... Thighs built nice, as she was a track star or something... I just loved how they wrapped around me as I slid into her sweet pussy... mmm sure was nice." He told her looking down at Beth to see her turned away eyes shut. "But not as nice as yours..." He whispered turning to face her, crouching a bit so he could look into her downcast face. "You were nice and tight... gripping even." He praised, making her dry heave turning away from him.

"That's a compliment... Most women... girls even, would love to have a cunt like yours... so I'll promise you this..." He told her taking a step to her, causing her to stumble back but not fall as he was still holding her arms. His steps and tight grip guided her back against a wall, and although every thought in her head was telling her to flee and never look back, she was unable to comprehend the thought into action.

"Please... can...please just-" Beth hiccuped and Merle hushed her moving a hand across her breast up to her chin, lifting her head so she was looking up at him, her sweet teary baby blue eyes begging with his unwavering ice like blues. His thumb caressed her bottom lip making a whimper have voice as she shivered, attempting to turn away.

"Don't say it... don't..." He whispered and lowered his nose to her hairline, inhaling again like he had when he raped her in the pasture. Beth didn't want that to happen... not again. There must have been something she could do so he wouldn't touch her again, but the thought was proven wrong when he moved his large caroused hands to her wrists, then clamped her small hands into one of his before continuing with his free hand to lift the skirt of the dress she was wearing- when did she get a dress on? She thought but then clamped her legs shut. "Ease up little one... or I'll rip your legs open..." He hissed into her forehead as she hiccuped a sob daring to shake her head as a response.

Unimpressed by her response, Merle released her hands to wrap his hand around her throat, that caused her guard to fall, her eyes to widen, and her legs to go limp. He slapped her thighs hard, enjoying the choked sobs from her as he continued slapping her legs apart until they were standing in a open V shape. He loosened his hold on her throat so she could breathe, and quite naturally she clung to him for stability as she gasped for air, before she could think of closing her legs, a loud cry ripped up from her chest as his large finger slipping inside her, and moved in a "Come here" motion.

"Stop...Stop please!" She begged moving a hand to her crotch to pull his hand way, but with his finger inside her, he shoved her back against the wall. "OW! Please! Please Merle-" She begged only to have her throat clutched again.

"You don't have permission to use my name, you little cunt..." He hissed watching her eyes roll back from the lack of oxygen. "Say it again, and I'll cut that pretty pink tongue right out of that little mouth of yours. Do you understand?" He told her as he dropped his hand to her breast pulling on the taunt nipples poking against the soft fabric. "You like it rough don't you... fucking whore..." He chuckled as she screamed in pain to him biting her breast too hard to be considered playful.

"No...no...please...Shower...Please... Shower..." She hiccuped trying to draw his attention back to what they were going to do, hoping it would drag his mind away from continuing this horrible sense of torture. She was sorely mistaken though, as he forced his knee in between her legs to keep her legs from shutting, and undid his pants, she pleaded with him not to rape her again, but with effortless strength he lifted her up and speared right into her. She clawed at his chest, while he choked her to the point she was seeing spots, and continued having his way with her. Beth knowing she was losing with him thinking he was in charge leaned forward and did something that surprised Merle, she licked his earlobe.

But before he could shake it off, she bit into his ear forcing him to withdraw and grab his ear when she let go of it. She fell to the ground, and stumbled back to her feet so she could run away, but what she didn't expect was for him to throw something at her, and knock her out just as she saw windows that over looked some trees.

Shane stormed out of the office, followed by Rick and other officers as the FBI kicked them out after finding that the crime scene had been tampered with to appear to be a crime scene when in fact, it wasn't. They didn't listen to the officers telling them that they had no idea of what they were being accused with, but the FBI was proud to let them know that Beth Greene was abducted after leaving a grocery store. This was proven after a walker noticed a bag of food on the ground and called it in, and fingerprints matched that of the victim. "They can't do this! We're fucking trying to help!" He yelled, and Rick frowned.

"We messed up... had our heads out of the game and missed that, calling another scene the scene of the crime... that's all." Rick agreed. "Let them look into it, and I'm sure this will be cleared up." He added trying to keep an open mind to this. Although he didn't like what was going on he understood. How had they missed that pick of evidence? They only reasonable reason was they weren't thinking straight. "We... we just have to be patient... The'll find Beth Greene... They will-"

"Oh yeah... they'll find her. Just like how they found the other girls. Dead." Shane snapped throwing his hat on the ground to storm away to his truck. He wasn't sticking around... He was going to find this girl if it killed him, dammit!


	4. Chapter 4

No matter where you turned in Kings, you always saw an FBI member watching every move of every citizen attempting to piece the puzzle together. Beth's abduction site had become some sort of memorial site and when that started, the police were investigating every person who came. They thought any of them could be her abductor feeling remorse. However that wasn't the case and everyone came up pretty clean. How was it in such a small town, where everyone knows everyone and can tell you the full story on a person within minuets of meeting said person, did no one see Beth Green's abduction? Or heard anything? It just didn't make sense to them.

The day the FBI decided to close the case was the six day Beth had been missing. The morning they apologized to the Kings County Sheriff's department and were planning on leaving was the day that Amy Finch's body was discovered. The young corpse was found by the zero period gym class with hooks in her back hanging high in the high school gym with a confederate flag sewed to her back like she was a photo frame being hung on the wall. The young girl was gutted, and cleaned up with her make up done, hair combed and nicely framed on her face, if it wouldn't have been a murder scene one would have seen it as beautifully poetic. This caused the investigation to start up again, and a new profile to be delivered to the public that caused new problems.

Instead of a middle age, Caucasian male with military, and marksmen training that was doing this for game or fun no real hidden agenda he was bored and this was how he handled it, it became a African American middle aged man, with military and marksmen training who had a grudge against white people and wanted to teach them a lesson for discrimination their kind. The public didn't take kindly to it, and it caused new problems for the authorities as people began to pester each other. Starting fights, and racial discrimination all over again because of the delivered profile, there was only one person who saw it as fun. Merle Dixon.

Beth sat in a wheel chair, strapped down and restrained well. It wasn't need she was so tired that if she had even tried to run she would have collapsed. Merle had been working her hard it was almost as if he was stumped by her, and luck on her side that fucking was becoming less of a want for him. Merle was cleaning her room. Ha how funny that sounds doesn't it? She thought staring at the wooden floor her tear ducts dried up but her mouth made whimpers and cries as if she was crying. She just wanted to go home. She didn't want to die and it just seemed like that was the only pleasant thing that was going to be offered up.

Merle came out and threw the sheets and things he had to replaced into his fire burning heater before turning to her and snorted walking up to her, still loving the fear he made her feel after being together as long as they had been. "What's wrong darlin? I scare yah still?" He chuckled touching her cheek to which she tried to turn away from. "Aw don't be like that or ole Merle here might have to get rough with you." He scowled her and as if to prove his point he wrapped his hand around her throat.

"Please..." Beth whimper clutching the arms of the wheelchair and he smirked letting go.

"Your lucky I have things to do..." He said with a smirk, only to turn the chair to walk her back into the dark room. He closed and locked the door behind him so that she couldn't run away from him and tucked her into bed like he always did. "Be a good girl." He stated and cupped her breast over her night gown and groaned. "Such a beautiful cunt you are..." He added before wheeling the chair out to leave her in that hole of a room.

Beth turned her head watching him leave her again, the light flooding in for a moment before the room went completely dark. There had to be something she could do right? Something to maybe get out of here or get him to change his desire to try and murder her. It was a daily thing. Riddles. Puzzles. Everything to test her and see if she was still worthy of being alive.

She stared at the ceiling before turning on her side and bit her lip becoming sleepy again. She had to do something... Out wit him but what could she do to out wit him? She wondered. A brief idea floated into her head before she drifted asleep. It was a good idea but the thought of it actually work made Beth ify about it. She would try it out and if it worked maybe just maybe she would her out of this nightmare and be able

to live again. That's all she wanted. To live. But maybe that was too much to want? She thought as she fell asleep and dreamed of a man reaching out for her hand but being to far for her to reach him.

My lord...

My shepherd...

No...

My abandoner...

She could hear in her sleep the song she had heard Merle listen to when he cleaned out a crime, made food or hummed when he was bathing her. Maybe this was what he had been wanting all along... Maybe he just wanted someone but he didn't know how to ask for it? No... Maybe...

"I hear... a voice say "Don't be so blind"...

it's telling me all these things...

that you would probably hide...

am I... your one and only desire...

am I the reason you breathe...

or am I the reason you cry... "

Maybe Merle was lonely and he wanted someone to be by his side forever like everyone else wanted?

Was that why she was here? Was this god's plan?

As if to answer her that hand that had been reaching out for her was gone. For once Beth felt hatred to God for making her life like this but what was she complaining for? He had gone through so much more so that she could live and he wanted her to save Merle. Forgive Merle.

Forgive him, Beth. Love him. Shelter him, as I have sheltered, loved, and forgave thy... Bless him, and send him home.


End file.
